WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL RICHARD E GERSTEIN JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG. THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO JUSTICE BUILDING RUMOR, HUMOR, AND A DISCUSSION ABOUT AND BETWEEN THE JUDGES, LAWYERS AND THE DEDICATED SUPPORT STAFF, CLERKS, COURT REPORTERS, AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHO LABOR IN THE WORLD OF MIAMI'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE. THIS BLOG HAS BEEN CALLED "THE DEFINITIVE BLOG ON MIAMI CRIMINAL LAW" BY THE NY TIMES, THE WASHINGTON POST, THE POPE, AND DONALD TRUMP WHO ALSO ONCE SAID IT WAS "REALLY GREAT". POST YOUR COMMENTS, OR SEND RUMPOLE A PRIVATE EMAIL AT HOWARDROARK21@GMAIL.COM

Thursday, November 15, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUMPOLE

It’s been two years since our humble blog opened with this on November 15, 2005 :

Welcome to the Justice Building Blog.My Name is Horace Rumpole.We seek comments, rumors, and stories on any and all Miami Justice Building habituates, Judges, Prosecutors, Attorneys, and defendants. While we (the royal we) will not be libelous, and we will not pick on those not able to defend themselves [ insert your favorite judge here] , we love a good story about a Judge or lawyer putting his or her foot in their mouth. A juicy rumor that is not too harmful will also be posted.As you can see in my profile, I have assumed the identity of that famed English Barrister Rumpole of the Bailey. The names have indeed been changed to protect - not the innocent- but those of us who still need to go to court from time to time to get our clients a bond.

Two years of laughs, and tears, and typos, and picking on our dear robed readers.

Regrets: we have a few, but then again, too few to mention. Actually only one- that several attorneys and one in particular have had to suffer the wrath of unfairly and wrongly being labeled Rumpole. The simple truth is that there is not one shred of evidence as to who we actually are, and to the extent our existence has caused any individual a problem, and unfortunately it has, we sincerely apologize. We never meant our enjoyment to come at anyone’s expense.

Triumphs:We think there were several. We brought the horrible treatment of Dade lawyers by Broward Judges to the table for discussion, and we think things have changed. We served as an on-line gathering place when we lost our dear friendJudge Manny Crespo.Readers posted comments for days, and we remain very proud that we could provide that for our friends in the Justice Building, and our friend Judge Crespo. Tragedy struck again with the death ofJudge Henry Leyte Vidal,and again we gathered together as a community of lawyers, judges, clerks, and others and remembered our friend who had passed on.

We were very proud to promoteSy Gaer’sbirthday party at Tobacco Road, which we think deep down many of knew was a chance so say“thank you Sy for being who you are”because we knew the time to say it was running out. And of course we again opened our blog to the wonderful remembrances of Sy when he left us earlier this year.

The most surprising post that we are proud of is the discourse between two legal giants in the Miami criminal law community: Roy Black and Abe Laeser as they wrote about their famous courtroom battle in our post entitled theCase That Made Miami Burn.

We didn’t take down a chief judge like the Broward Blog, but then again, we like Joe Farina and we don’t want to see him going anywhere.

We have raged against the unfairness of how Judge Gerry Klein was unceremoniously dumped after 50 years of service to this community, and we have reveled in pointing out the daily absurdities judges come up with. No motions for continuance at soundings being the most famous of the ridiculous rules we have railed against.

Along the way we have picked up a cast of characters, From The Captain to Batman and all the famous “fakes” who post.

From our famous Sunday morning football picks (and we have had the most surprising run of good luck these past two years. We challenge any football tout to pick games like we do, on the record and in public, and match our winning percentage these past two years.) to our political Friday posts, it has been amazing two years for us. We shall continue on this long strange journey for as long as there is breath in our lungs, passion in our heart, and a modicum of mediocre writing talent to keep our dear readers reading.

Happy Birthday Rumpole, but I must say, your remonstration regarding the mistreatment of Dade lawyers is a bit hackneyed. Surely there are some NoBo judges who treat Dade lawyers with the courtesy they so richly deserve.

No one has ever convicted Horace of using spell-check or for that matter, checking his typos.

What does he always say: I may have had one too many of Miami River's finest wine - or something like that?

So, Horace, check your post date from two years ago; I did:

Wednesday, November 16, 2005WELCOME POST

Welcome to the Justice Building Blog. My Name is Horace Rumpole.....

and that is why I posted earlier as follows:

November 16, 2005 - November 15, 2007

JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG - TWO YEARS AND COUNTING

HAPPY BIRTHDAY - HORACE.

It's the 16th, not the 15th

More importantly, it has been an honor to contribute, (on occasion), to your wonderful blog and I hope to continue to provide insight into the political happenings of the GJB and other issues which I find worthy of comment.

Ahhhhh (looking up at the stars) remembering the days when no moderation existed on the blog...ahhhhaahhhhhh....

Those days seem like yesterday, when you could smear someone in a matter of seconds for all the legal community to read. Now we can't smear until and unless Rumpole get's home from the bar and only if he does not like who we don't.

And stop giving the hacks at JAAB credit for taking down Judge Ross. He had desired and advised people he intended to step down for legitimate personal reasons (his own medical situation and the illness/deaths of close family) and having nothing to do with the "Broward Blog".

The "Broward Blog" has its good points, but they have an overinflated ego and sense of self-importance.

Miami has the Dolphinsour team is the worstNow we Got Back Rickythe next win we get will be the firstIf you think he's gonna helpLike Shula you will crybecause if you think the fins will winLike Ricky you are high.

The Captain must be one of those lawyers who is constantly raising spurious objections citing obscure statutes that prohibit things like driving a motor vehicle without a person walking in front of it waving a red flag.

No bitch slap here. It is a hollow victory. The only thing reversed was the future rent. You still end up being evicted and paying past due rent. Hoorah for you. The only person who got a profit was your lawyer.

Do you really think we can't read an opinion and understand its import? Time to move on, pal. No scandel here.

Friday, November 16, 2007 11:43:00 AM

Buddy - at 11:43AM - You missed the point the tenant always agreed to pay the past due rent and the legal fee's of the other side for bringing the eviction. That's why the defendant let it go to a default eviction.

The problem is (now is this moment to grab those glasses and read carefully) that Judge King allowed the plaintiff to get a $45,000.00 additional money judgement without ever asking for it in the complaint or amended complaint.

Am I missing something here on the Judge King thing. Aren't the lawyers to blame for making the request in the first instance. Did we all forget about the candor toward's the tribunal section of the ethics rules, or doesn't that matter any more.